


Regaining Control

by AMidnightDreary, Rabentochter



Series: Frostiron Advent Calendar 2019 [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Asgardian Tony Stark, Canon Divergence - Thor (2011), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It of Sorts, Hopeful Ending, Loki (Marvel) Feels, M/M, Protective Tony Stark, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21645397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMidnightDreary/pseuds/AMidnightDreary, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rabentochter/pseuds/Rabentochter
Summary: Loki, Anthony thought, blood rushing in his ears as he stared at the rainbow-colored power that came out of the golden dome.Loki, what are you doing?
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Frostiron Advent Calendar 2019 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558924
Comments: 28
Kudos: 493





	Regaining Control

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Arabesqueangel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arabesqueangel/gifts).



> And here's the second thing in our series of Things! We hope you like it! ❤

Anthony was not, in the official sense of the word, a warrior. Oh, he could fight - better than most actual warriors, he always said -, but only because every Aesir could fight, and you couldn't provide warriors with what they needed without knowing what they needed it for. So yes, he could fight, and he knew about war and strategy, but he simply hadn't been trained for _this_ . He wasn't a commander, he was an _engineer,_ a builder of things. Weapons, of course, but actually he preferred gadgets and infrastructure. He'd never wanted to be a commander, either, but… Well.

Here he was.

He didn't know why Loki had asked, or rather ordered him to do it. But he had chosen Anthony over the head of his guard or one of the older warriors; when the Jötnar had come Loki had said, _Anthony, take the lead_ , and then he'd ran off to protect his mother, which, fair, but it hadn't _explained_ anything.

Anthony didn't have a lot of time to think about that at the moment, of course. He was busy burying his sword in yet another Jotun's chest and shouting commands at Aesir who were technically above him in rank.

Thankfully they outnumbered the intruders by far, and the Jötnar were easily defeated. Quite a few Aesir were wounded, though. Anthony was in the middle of helping where he could and soothing the panic the attack had caused when the Queen approached him with hurried steps.

"Anthony," she said, a hand already on his arm, "I need to speak to you."

The look of fear and _sadness_ in her eyes was so intense that Anthony stilled, forgetting all about the chaos around him. "Where is Loki? He went to protect you -"

"And he did," Frigga interrupted, her tone almost impatient. Anthony's chest tightened even more with a sudden feeling of dread. The Queen didn't seem to notice, she just continued, "He killed Laufey. But Loki is - I fear that he is about to do something he will come to regret. Thor went to stop him, but I doubt that Loki will listen to either of us. I need you to -"

"Where is he?"

"They were heading for the Bifröst -"

"Then that's where I'll go," Anthony said and gathered up his spear. "Don't worry, I'll get them to reconcile." _Wouldn't be the first time, after all._

"Hurry," was all Frigga said, and then she took his place and gave one of the guards a string of orders.

Anthony didn't listen, he was already heading for the nearest exist. He ran his fingers over the control panel that was embedded in his left vambrace, calling for his boat, and when he stepped out of the palace it already came to a smooth halt in front of him; he just needed to swing himself up and take control.

When he flew high enough to see the Bifröst, his eyes widened.

 _Loki_ , he thought, blood rushing in his ears as he stared at the rainbow-colored power that came out of the golden dome, _Loki, what are you doing?_

-

Anthony was used to Loki's penchant for chaos. Of course he was; they had been friends for more than seven hundred years, and lovers for now almost two of them. Anthony knew Loki _inside out_ , he knew his pranks and his playfulness just as well as the sharp sting of his anger. He knew that Loki could be bitter, and jealous and cruel, but he also knew how deeply Loki loved, and that he was strong and brilliant and, even though every other Aesir would most likely disagree, _loyal._ As long as Loki believed that his loyalty was deserved, nothing and nobody could keep him from protecting what he loved.

Seeing Loki fight against Thor now, in earnest, made Anthony feel like the very foundations of Asgard were crumbling.

He'd known that something was wrong, of course. Ever since Thor's coronation had been announced, Loki had been far too quiet, and also more irritable and restless than ever before. And there had been that glint in his eyes whenever he'd watched Thor, and a smirk tugging at his lips that had told Anthony that Loki was planning _something,_ but… Loki had never told him. He had barely talked to Anthony in these last weeks, and then -

And then, Jotunheim.

Anthony had been there, because he would follow Loki wherever he went, and of course Loki had followed Thor. But Loki hadn't been pleased about the whole ordeal, or so it had seemed - by now, Anthony was certain that it had been a part of the plan, a plan that had gotten out of control as soon as they had set foot on Jotunheim. Loki hadn't regained control since then.

Anthony had still been at his side, the entire time - he'd never wanted to be anywhere else, and that hadn't changed. No matter what Loki did, no matter what he had done, Anthony would _always_ be at his side, and if he needed to talk sense into his lost prince's head, then that was what he would do.

Then he saw both Loki and Thor topple over the edge of the bridge, and Anthony thought that he might never get a chance to talk to Loki again at all.

-

"No, Loki," Odin said, and everything faded.

Loki didn't know where he had come from. It didn't matter, he was _there_ \- he had caught Thor, but he wouldn't keep Loki from falling. (Why change old habits now, after all?)

The entire Nine Realms had narrowed down to what Loki felt in his hand - the most powerful weapon he had ever held, cold and unyielding metal in the grip of his numb fingers. He could hear his own heartbeat. Odin was still looking at him, and maybe Thor was shouting something, but Loki had already stopped caring. He had his answer. 

There was only one thing he could do, and so he let go and -

Hit the edge of something very hard and solid, something that was definitely not the Void - something that moved so fast that Loki just slid right off again. Shock and impact had knocked the air out of his lungs and he didn't even think about trying to hold on. But something kept him from falling, this time; a warm and strong hand that held his wrist in an iron grip and refused to release him.

Loki found himself looking up into brown eyes. They were wide, the look in them wild and desperate, and also wet with unshed tears.

"If you let go," Anthony said, his voice sharp and uneven, "I'm going to come right after you, I swear. I won't let you." His grip on Loki's arm tightened even more, and his eyes were _burning._ "I won't let you," he repeated.

Loki recognized the boat. Anthony had built it about two centuries ago, and Loki had been the first other person who had seen it. They had used it to fly away together so many times, to be somewhere where it was just the two of them -

"Your other hand," Anthony urged, "Loki, give me your other hand! _Please_ , Loki -"

Loki had never managed to deny Anthony anything.

-

"Where are we?" Loki asked later, when Anthony had landed the boat on solid ground.

"Midgard," Anthony replied, without looking at Loki. His eyes were scanning their surroundings.

"Oh," Loki said, faintly. He hadn't even felt it when they had leaped through space. Anthony had held him so tightly that Loki hadn't noticed anything else. He swallowed. "Why? They will think you are on my side, not on theirs."

"I am," Anthony said. He knelt down in front of Loki, who was still sitting on the boat. "And we will not go back to Asgard until you have told me _everything._ "

Loki stared at the only friend he had and would ever have, at the man he had loved for hundreds of years and would love for many more. "You won't like most of it."

"I don't give a damn," Anthony informed him, and then he pulled Loki into a firm hug. He let out a sharp breath, then whispered his next words into Loki's ear, "I'm here. I won't leave. I will never want to be anywhere else than right next to you, do you hear me?"

Loki nodded and pinched his eyes shut, returning the embrace just as firmly. He was trembling, and all he had learned and done came back to him now.

He told Anthony everything.


End file.
